Tbilisi Demands Explanation for Georgian Passengers’ Deportation

Georgian Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs held a hearing on September 22 in regards to the incident in the Moscow airport whenin dozens of Georgian citizens were barred by the Russian border guard from entering Russia on September 20 because of  ?visa irregularities.?
 
The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador to Georgia, Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, on September 21 and handed him a note demanding that the Russian side explain themselves in regards to this incident.

Georgian officials say that a total of 60 Georgian citizens were barred from entering Russia. Most of them had to return; however, some of them still remain in the Moscow airport.

According to Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze, following the recent hostage-taking incident in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia has heightened control over its borders.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued an information note issued on September 22 that states that after the Beslan tragedy, Russian security forces, in cooperation with border guard officials launched an operation codenamed ?Migrant.?

?Around 800 foreign citizens have already been deported from Russia due to the visa irregularities? so I urge tourist firms, which specialize in arranging visas, to carefully observe all the visa requirements,? Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze says.